Recylers organizing

By COLLIN MCRANNSun Advocate reporter

Organized recycling in Carbon County might soon become a reality thanks to the efforts of a local grass roots group called the Green Team. While the team has only been in existence since last January, its efforts are beginning to produce some real results with a drop-off recycling center now in the works.

Last summer, team members were able to form a governing body after Price City granted them $7,200 and Conoco Philips allocated $300 to further their mission. Through utilizing the funding, members hope they can purchase a bin or bins for locals to drop off recyclables. The size and type of bin is yet to be decided.

"We want to get this done as cheaply as possible, so it can be sustainable by itself, so tax payers don't have to pay for it," said Jeanne McEvoy, team chair.

Recently, Green Team members have appeared before all incorporated areas of the county and the county commission except Scofield to seek support as well as to distribute a survey to citizens which they hope will provide a clearer picture of recycling demand in the area. The survey is due on Dec.1. McEvoy indicated that Price City has received a healthy response with two big piles of returned surveys. While visiting the cities, the team also requested that entities show support by including an appointed councilmember on the team. Nearly all entities complied except Wellington, where officials wanted to wait for the survey results.

During visits to the cities, most of the raised concerns related to tax increases and contamination in the sorting process. Currently, the effort has no intention of operating on a tax basis. However, the contamination issue will have to be addressed at a later date.

"We're moving very quickly, because we started last January. Now that we are buying bins, the community support has been awesome and elected officials have been great with their concerns," said McEvoy.

Although the type and size of bins has yet to be decided the choices have been narrowed to purchasing either two four-cubic-yard options, or one 32-foot roll-off truck bin that can be partitioned for different types of materials. During the last Green Team meeting on Nov. 17, the two options were discussed and it appeared that sustainability was the primary concern.

"Things could start with the two smaller bins and we could see how fast they fill up in the two locations," said team member Jeff Green.

The other option, the roll-off bin would be easier to haul away. But because the truck only gets three miles per gallon of gasoline, and because the bin itself is several times more expensive than the two other bins, the sustainability was questioned.

The team indicated that during the next meeting (Dec. 8) a decision will hopefully be reached regarding the bins so that recycling can begin for drop-off recycling. Anyone with questions or comments is invited to contact McEvoy at 650-9249.